Frequency of the white tip nematode, Aphelenchoides besseyi, in Ghana and its management with botanicals

Abstract

Investigations were undertaken to ascertain the distribution of the white tip nematode of rice, Aphelenchoides besseyi, in Ghana and the potential of botanicals to control the nematodes in rice seeds. The plant products tested were neem (Azadirachta indica) seed, pepper (Capsicum frutescens cv. Legon 18) and wood ash, at 15 g/kg, in comparison with the nematicide, carbofuran, also at 15 g/kg, as seed dressing treatment. Some 80% of seed samples were infested in the Northern region, 72.5% in the Western, 67.5% in the Ashanti and 25% in the Volta regions. The population of A. besseyi in seeds was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by ground pepper (83.5%), ground neem seeds (82.4%), wood ash (71.7%) and carbofuran (77.6%), with no significant differences between the treatments. However, the treatments reduced rice seed germination by 9.6-24.4% with pepper resulting in the greatest reduction (24.4%).